Some hairstyles and haircuts simply add a few years, whether you’re getting them from a rookie hair stylist or a really expensive salon. Whether you’re looking for hairstyles that will make you look more mature or want to know what haircuts to avoid in order to look your age or younger, find out what adds years to your look.
From bangs that make you look beyond your age to updos that can go wrong, here are the hairstyles that make you look older. You might be able to pull them off and still look your age, but most women can’t.
Hairstyles with Bangs That Make You Look Older
Bangs are risky business. The right cut can take a few years off, but blunt bangs generally make you look older, especially if they’re short.
For a youthful effect, go for fuller wispy bangs. If you want to look older, blunt bangs that hit above the eyebrows will have that effect, but they also draw attention to any imperfections on your face.
One Length Hairstyles
Layers, especially in the bottom half of your hair, will have a youthful effect since they add movement to your tresses. Longer layers are especially good at making you look younger. At the opposite end of the spectrum, one length hairstyles, like Anna Wintour’s iconic pageboy haircut, add years, making them one of the best or worst hairstyles that make you look older.
Simple Straight Hairstyles
Over straightened hair has a strong aging quality. If you love using the flat iron, make sure that your hairstyle has something else going on. When it’s just straight and simple, it definitely adds years to your look. If you don’t like this severe look, a little texture, whether it’s waves or curls, can instantly make you look younger.
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Perfectly Coiffed Updos
Very geometrical hairstyles that make you look older are right up there with updos where no hair is out of place. Stiff hair, that doesn’t have even the slightest movement, is very aging. Even when you’re attending a white tie affair, a few flyaway or loose strands can instantly make you look a little younger. When you’re also adding a lot of volume to your perfectly set updo, the aging effect is even stronger.
Hairstyles with a Middle Part
The middle part can also add years. You can counteract that with beachy waves, but if you like to wear your hair straight, a middle part will definitely bring some harshness to your look. Opting for a side part has the opposite effect, helping you lose a few years.
Hairstyles with Frizzy Curls
Frizz makes your hair look dry and it’s a particularly bad look if you have naturally curly hair. The cut doesn’t matter too much, but your curls should always be shiny and properly moisturized. Otherwise, they’ll end up adding years.
Girly Hairstyles
Any juvenile look, whether it’s pig tails or girly braiding, is just as bad as the hairstyles that make you look older. You might be able to pull them off in your late teens or early twenties, but beyond that, they instantly age you by making you look desperate to look younger. So forget about milkmaid braids and try a fishtail plait if looking older is not the vibe you’re going for.
Hairstyles with Too Much Volume
Poufiness, especially at the crown, will age you. The most visible effect can be achieved with pompadours or hairstyle that have volume on top, while most of your hair is pulled back. Make sure that the volume on top is in the right proportion with your face and the rest of your hair if you don’t want to end up looking older than you are.
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The Reverse Mullet (The Gosselin)
The Gosselin or any kind of reverse mullet that ends with hair that’s too long in the front and too short in the back is definitely one of the hairstyles that make you look older. A pixie cut can help create a youthful look, but the extra length in front usually makes people people think of a single thing: forehead wrinkles you’re trying to hide.
Hair Colors That Make You Look Older
Color can have an effect that’s equally strong to hairstyles that make you look older. Dark, one tone colors are a bad idea after 40, but hair that’s too bleached will age you even if you’re 20. Go for the middle ground and try highlights for a youthful look.